Ex-Pa. senator ruled incompetent to stand trial

Tuesday

Jan 7, 2014 at 4:17 PMJan 7, 2014 at 4:29 PM

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (AP) — A federal judge says a former Pennsylvania senator charged with corruption is mentally incompetent to stand trial, and ordered authorities to take him into custody and place him in a treatment facility.

Associated Press

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (AP) — A federal judge says a former Pennsylvania senator charged with corruption is mentally incompetent to stand trial, and ordered authorities to take him into custody and place him in a treatment facility.

U.S. District Judge A. Richard Caputo ruled Tuesday in Wilkes-Barre. He says retired lawmaker Raphael Musto cannot understand the proceedings against him. He ordered Musto placed into custody and hospitalized for up to four months to determine whether there's a chance he will become competent to stand trial.

Prosecutors say Musto accepted cash and free building renovations in exchange for his help obtaining taxpayer funding of development projects.

Caputo ruled one day after several experts said the 84-year-old defendant is mentally unfit to assist in his own defense and is too sick and frail to stand trial.

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